Transport containers provided with cooling means



NOV. 28, 1967 v w. v JERVIS ETAL 3,354,667

TRANSPORT CONTAlNERS PROVIDED WITH COOLING MEANS Filed July 15, 1966 4 Shets-Sheet l NOV. 28, 1967 w v, JERVIS ET AL 3,354,667

TRANSPORT CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH COOLING MEANS Filed July 15, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 28, 1967 v, JERVIS ET AL 3,354,667

TRANSPORT CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH COOLING MEANS 4 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed July i Fl Maia/gm, fiuui 144 wan Nov. 28, 1967 T. W. V. JERVIS ET AL TRANSPORT CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH COOLING MEANS Filed July 15, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 7 9% guy United States Patent Ofilice 3,354,667 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 3,354,667 TRANSPORT CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH COOLING MEANS Thomas William Vernon Jervis, Moor Park, and Reginald John Galloway, Ruislip, England, assignors to Mickleover Transport Limited, London, England, a British company Filed July 13, 1966, Ser. No. 564,876 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 20, 1965, 30,865/ 65 5 Claims. (Cl. 62-372) This invention relates to a transport container of the kind provided with cooling means comprising a compartment for receiving cooling medium and having a wall or walls exposed to the interior of the transport container so that there may be heat transfer from the contents of the transport container and from the atmosphere therein through said wall or walls of the compartment to said cooling medium.

According to this invention a transport container of the kind referred to is characterised in that said compartment for the cooling medium is mounted or formed on a Wall of the transport container so as to extend along substantially the whole or a greater part of the length thereof which compartment is provided with one or more charging openings on the outside of the container through which the cooling medium may be introduced into it whilst maintaining the space within the transport container sealed from the atmosphere and closure means for said opening or openings.

Preferably the said compartment or compartments for the cooling medium is or.-are arranged wholly within the transport container and the opening or openings therein register in a fluid-tight manner with the opening in a wall or walls of the transport container accessible from outside the container whereby the cooling medium can be loaded into the compartment or compartments without opening up the transport container.

In the case where the cooling medium is in block form said compartment or each compartment (when a number are provided) is of such dimensions that a number of blocks may be disposed end to end therein. Thus there may be loaded into the compartment a sufficient number of blocks to last out the journey of the container.

In one embodiment of the invention, the compartment may be mounted or formed on the roof of the transport container so as to extend from an end wall of the container which end wall is provided with said openings through which said cooling medium may be introduced from outside of the container.

A part of the roof of the transport container may form one wall of said compartment.

The walls of the transport container may be heat insulated whereas the wall or walls of the compartment are heat conducting.

In the case where said cooling medium comprises a number of blocks of frozen material, there may be provided receptacles for said blocks and means for support ing said receptacles in said chamber so that they may be readily traversed along the length thereof.

For example the receptacles may be provided with wheels which may roll along supporting surfaces within the compartment.

Means may be provided for coupling the receptacles together thereby facilitating their withdrawal from the compartment.

The wheels may be mounted on the sides of the receptacles near the upper extremities thereof and the side walls of the aforesaid compartments may be formed with channels along the lengths thereof within which said wheels are disposed the arrangement being such that the walls of the receptacles and of the compartments may be closely spaced.

The receptacles may be formed from plastics.

The bottom walls of the receptacles may be formed with holes so that in the case where the cooling medium comprises blocks of frozen CO the vapour of which is heavier than air may be readily dispersed from the receptacles.

The bottom wall of the compartments may likewise be provided with holes.

In the case where the compartment extends from an end wall of the transport container and registers with an opening therein, both that opening and the registering opening at the end of the compartment may be provided with separate doors, access to the door at the end of the compartment being gained only when the door associated with the opening in the transport container has been opened.

In the case where the receptacles are coupled together means may be provided for coupling an end container to the door or doors associated with the end of the compartment so as to prevent the receptacles rolling backwards and forwards in the compartment during transport of the transport container which coupling is accessible from ouside said door or doors.

A number of such compartments may be arranged side by side along the transport container.

In the case where the roof of the transport container is provided with rails extending along the length thereof from which are slung goods to be transported which rails are spaced apart, the cooling compartment or compartments may be disposed in one or more of the spaces.

It will be appreciated with the above arrangements that the number of the receptacles loaded with cooling medium may be selected in accordance with the estimated time during which the transport container will be in transit.

The full number of receptacles may be introduced into the compartment so as to fill the full length thereof but only certain of them may be loaded with cooling medium according to the disposition of the controls of the transport container.

The arrangements described above are particularly applicable to a transport container having a flat roof which transport container may be detachably mounted on a road vehicle or railway wagon or may be loaded into a ships hold.

The following is a description of one form of transport container to which the invention has been applied reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the transport container parts of the roof and end Wall being cut away to show the compartment for the cooling medium;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the receptacles for the cooling medium in position in a portion of the compartment;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of one of the receptacles;

FIGURE 4 is a part section and part end view of the receptacles shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a section through a part of the roof of the transport container and through the aforesaid compartment; I

FIGURE 6 is an elevation of a part of an end wall of the transport container showing the opening through which the receptacles are introduced and withdrawn; and

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the transport container is formed with root 10, and walls 11 and 12, side walls 13 and 14 a floor 15 and a sealed door 6 all of which are so constructed .as .to he heat insulating. ..A number of rails 16 are secured to members 17 (see FIGURE of the roof structure and extend in spaced relationship along the length of the transport container. :Each rail 16 supports a number of trolleys 9 having rollers .8 which engage flanges of the rail t6 and which trolley .is provided "with a hook 7 by which-the goods to be cooled are suspended. Secured also to .a part 18 of the 'roof structure between adjacent rails 16is a-compartment indicated-generallyby 19 in FIGURE -5 which compartment .is formed from sheet aluminium bent to provide a bottom wall 20 and side wall portions .21 which diverge as they extend upwardly and walls are provided on the outside thereof with mild steel wearing strips .22. Extensions 23 of the side walls are :bent to provide channels 24 extending along .the full length of the compartment and the upper marginal stretches 25 ot the extensions are secured to angle section members .26 which in their turn are secured to the roof structure.

As will be seen fromF lGURE 5 the height of the roof may vary along the length thereof so that the angle section members .26 are of differentdepth.

One end of the compartment 1 9 is disposed opposite an opening 27 in the end wall .11 of the transport contai-ner. .Secured by hinged (which do not appear in the drawing) to :the end wallis a closure door 28, the closure door .is provided with sealing strips 29. The edges of the door and the edges of the opening 27 are wedge shaped-as best seen in FIGURE 7. Secured also by hinges .30 .to=the sides 31 of the opening 27 are two door parts 32 which doors serve to close the .open end of the compartment 19 as best seen in FIGURE 7. The compartment is :provided with extensions .33 so as to be .a close fit with the sides of the openings 27 in the end wall 1'1.

There may be inserted into the compartment through the opening 27 anumber of receptacles best seen in FIG- URES .2, 3 and 4 which receptacles are formed from resin bonded glass fibres. The side walls .34 of each receptacle diverge as they extend upwardly :from the bottom wall .35 and bonded to the inner face of the upper marginal portions of these walls is a mild steel strip .36 to which is iixed .a number of outwardlyextending horizontal spindles which pass through holes in the side walls v34 .and on which are mounted rollers 38 in such a manner that the rollers can engage the bottom flanges of the channels .24. Bonded .to the outer faces of the side walls 34 as best seen in FIGURE 2 are resin bonded plywood strips 46. The bottom wall 35 may be provided with a number of holes (not shown). One end wall 39 of each receptacle has secured to it a'hook shaped element 40 whereas the other end wall 41 has secured toit a looped element 42 enabling successive receptacles to be coupled together .as they are inserted through the opening 27.

As will be seen from FIGURES 6 and 7 parts 43 ofthe hinges 30 on the door part .32 .are arranged to extend beyond the edges of those door parts so that theyoverlap and are provided with slots 44 through which a'looped portion 42 of an end receptacle may extend to receive a'loc'king pin 45.

The principle on which the receptacles and the compart-ments which accommodate them and the transport container are designed is as follows:

"Where solid CO has a known B.t;u. value (including both Latent and Sensible beats) and boiling temperature, the actof close confining a block of solid CO within .a small receptacle of say timber, aluminium or glass reinforced plastic orany other material where the thermal transmission is known will slow the evaporating rate of the solid (:0 down to the rate at which the material of the receptacle absorbs the heat from CO This again is dependent on the temperature differential "between the required temperature and the ambient temperature.

If the small receptacle was installed within .a transport container for the purpose of carrying chilled meat or similar products, an e'fiective refrigeration system can be obtained by simply (knowing the following information:

(1) Thermal heat flow of the transport container.

(2) The temperature of the product on loading.

(3) Desired temperature of the product at the end of the journey.

.(4) Average ambient temperature of the particular period of transit so that temperature differential can be assessed.

The heat transfer takes place through the walls ofthe small receptacle to the compartment in which it is located Whic'hacts as a cold plate. Small ports are bored 'into the base of the compartment so that CO gases may permeate through to the payload area of the cargo container, to gain two further advantages whichare:

(a) The additional valueof the sensible heat of the cold gas which is plus to the latent heat.

( b) The inhibiting qualities of carbon dioxide gas.

The design of the small CO receptacle is formulated by taking the maximum sizes that are ap licable to a-25 lb. rectangular block of solid CO and making the .dimensions of the inner liner of the receptacle such, that the block rests snugly within with the minimum of air space. The liner is then insulated with a rigid foamed insulant then encapsulated with an outer wall, a detach- .able lid (not necessarily gas tight) is then fitted to completely house the blockof C0 The co-efficients are then calculated and will give the heat flow through the walls per hour times at temperature differential.

This heat is then transmitted to the continuous tunnel which if made from aluminium wouldhave a co-efficient of thermal transmission of 1,423 B.t.u./hr.-/-ins. thick/ sq. ft./ F. Therefore, the main tunnel would accept all the heat transmitted from the small CO receptacle-and dissipate the .heat through its total surface area with the rate of heat transfer and sublimation'of the solid C0 being controlled by the small receptacle being constructed from materials of higher resistance to heat transmission.

We claim:

,1. .A structure .for transporting perishable goods-comprising:

(a) a sealed transport container for receiving said goods,

(b) a compartment adapted to receive blocks of-cooling t-medium,

(c) which compartment is mounted on the container so as to extend along the greater vpart of the distance between opposite walls of the container (d) at least one wall of which compartment is exposed -to the interior of the container whereby heat is transferred from the atmosphere "within thecontainer to the cooling medium within the compartment .(e) and which'compartmentrhas at least'one opening in an end wall thereof,

:(f) closure means forsaidopening,

(g) receptacles for receiving said blocks of cooling medium and insertable through said opening,

(h) wheelstmounted on the sides oftlreireceptacles near the upper extremities thereof, and

(i) channels on the side walls of said compartment extending along the length thereof within which said wheels are disposed the arrangement beingzsuch that the walls-of-the receptacles and of'the compartment are closely spaced. a

2. A structure for transporting perishable goods comprising:

(a) .a sealed transport container for receiving :said

goods,

(b) a compartment adapted to receive .blocks of cooling medium,

(c) which compartment is mounted on the container sons to extend along the greater part dfthe distance between opposite walls of the container (d) at least one wall of which compartment is exposed to the interior of the container whereby heat is transferred from the atmosphere within the container to the cooling medium within the compartment (e) and which compartment has at least one opening in an end wall thereof,

(f) a door adapted to close said opening,

(g) receptacles coupled together for receiving the cooling medium, and

(h) means for coupling an end receptacle to said door so as to prevent the receptacles moving backwards and forwards in the compartment during transport of the transport container,

(i) which coupling is accessible from the outside of the door.

3. A structure for transporting perishable goods according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) tracks are provided on the side walls of said compartment and (b) said receptacles are provided with wheels which roll along said tracks.

4. A structure for transporting perishable goods comprising:

(a) a sealed transport container for receiving said goods,

(b) a compartment adapted to receive blocks of cooling medium,

(c) which compartment is mounted on the container so as to extend along the greater part of the distance between opposite walls of the container,

(d) at least one wall of which compartment is exposed to the interior of the container whereby heat is transferred from the atmosphere within the container to the cooling medium within the compartment (e) and which compartment has at least one opening in an end wall thereof,

(f) closure means for said opening,

(g) receptacles for receiving said blocks of cooling medium and insertable through said opening and movable along said compartment and (h) disconnectible couplings between said receptacles.

5. A structure for transporting perishable goods comprising:

(a) a sealed transport container for receiving said goods,

(b) an elongated horizontal compartment adapted to receive a number of blocks of cooling medium end to end,

(c) which compartment is mounted on the container so as to extend along the greater part of the distance between opposite walls thereof and has (d) at least one wall exposed to the interior of the container whereby heat is transferred from the atmosphere within the container to the cooling medium within the compartment,

(e) at least one end of which compartment is provided with at least one charging opening,

(f) an opening in an upright wall of the container communicating with said charging opening through which said blocks may he slid horizontally,

(g) closure means for said openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,123,678 7/1938 Madden 62387 X 2,296,899 9/ 1942 Bonsall 62464 X 2,449,005 9/1948 Nicholas 62388 X 2,974,499 3/ 1961 Sinatra et a1 62388 X LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRUCTURE FOR TRANSPORTING PERISHABLE GOODS COMPRISING: (A) A SEALED TRANSPORT CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING SAID GOODS, (B) A COMPARTMENT ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BLOCKS OF COOLING MEDIUM, (C) WHICH COMPARTMENT IS MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER SO AS TO EXTEND ALONG THE GREATER PART OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN OPPOSITE WALLS OF THE CONTAINER (D) AT LEAST ONE WALL OF WHICH COMPARTMENT IS EXPOSED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER WHEREBY HEAT IS TRANSFERRED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CONTAINER TO THE COOLING MEDIUM WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT (E) AND WHICH COMPARTMENT HAS AT LEAST ONE OPENING IN AN END WALL THEREOF, (F) CLOSURE MEANS FOR SAID OPENING, (G) RECEPTACLES FOR RECEIVING SAID BLOCKS OF COOLING MEDIUM AND INSERTABLE THROUGH SAID OPENING, (H) WHEELS MOUNTED ON THE SIDES OF THE RECEPTACLES NEAR THE UPPER EXTREMITIES THEREOF, AND (I) CHANNELS ON THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID COMPARTMENT EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF WITHIN WHICH SAID WHEELS ARE DISPOSED THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH THAT THE WALLS OF THE RECEPTACLES AND OF THE COMPARTMENT ARE CLOSELY SPACED. 